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TOXIC HOLOCAUST mastermind Joel Grind talks about the massive influence of Metallica; his favorite riffs; the connection between album artwork and vibe; Cliff Burton; Lars Ulrich; the time he distilled Hardwired down to its thrashiest elements as a labor of love passion project; the 20th anniversary of Toxic Holocaust; soundtrack and production work; and his new album, Primal Future: 2019.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

CREEPING DEATH guitarist Trey Pemberton talks about his first Metallica record; personal Metallica album ranking; favorite riffs; his musician mother; the various death and thrash metal ingredients that make up his band; the rich history of heavy metal in Texas; Creeping Death's visual aspects; and the band's full-length debut, Wretched Illusions. This episode contains the Creeping Death song "Bloodlust Contamination."
Creeping Death "Bloodlust Contamination" Music Video.
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SUM 41 guitarist Dave "Brownsound" Baksh takes us behind-the-scenes of MTV Icon: Metallica, the 2003 event where his band brought down the house with a ripping Metallica medley that stood in stark contrast to some otherwise questionable band/song pairings. Dave talks about the feedback he received from James and Kirk; discovering Metallica; his favorite Metallica riff to warmup with; the infamous Guns N' Roses / Metallica show in Montreal where PapaHet stepped into a huge "tower of flame"; Sum 41's latest album; and much more.
The St. Anger fan re-recording we talk about can be found here.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

KILL 'EM ALL engineer and mixer Chris Bubacz joins the show to talk about recording and mixing the seminal debut album from Metallica in a tiny studio in Rochester, New York. Meeting the guys; the state of their gear; Lars Ulrich's hands-on approach; Cliff's bass solo; Megaforce Records founder Johnny Z; plus a little bit about his work on the debut album from Anthrax and records by The Rods, Ace Frehley, and Znöwhite.
Chris runs a studio monitor-loudspeaker company called Guzauski-Swist Audio, named after his business partners, Mick Guzauski and Larry Swist. Info can be found at gsstudiomonitors.com.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

DEMON HUNTER guitarist Jeremiah Scott, who also produced his band's most recent albums, talks about hearing Metallica for the first time; learning his first Metallica song; the guitar teacher who tried to steal his girlfriend; having "For Whom the Bell Tolls" played at his wedding; the inherent silliness and/or awesomeness of certain band names, from Smashing Pumpkins and Pantera to Metallica to Demon Hunter; seeing Lemmy join Metallica onstage in Nashville; Bob Rock; sneaking into concerts as a 16 year old kid and as an adult; becoming a producer; and much more.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

RED FANG was handpicked to join Metallica's inaugural Orion Music + More as part of a diverse specially curated lineup that included Modest Mouse, Eric Church, Best Coast, Ghost, Baroness, Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold, Torche, and Sepultura. Red Fang guitarist/vocalist Bryan Giles tells the story behind that day and talks about hearing "For Whom the Bell Tolls" for the first time; facts vs. feelings; propaganda; pinball; high school humiliation; Ronnie James Dio; James Hetfield; Red Fang's experimental music video; their next album; and much more.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

THE CULT. Metallica and The Cult have a long history of friendship and touring, so naturally, Billy has a ton of great stories! He also talks Bob Rock, Rick Rubin, Sire Records; the Cult’s trio of classic albums; the story behind the iconic Sonic Temple album cover; and so much more.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

OVERKILL frontman talks about falling in love with music; hearing Metallica for the first time; meeting the guys; the formative years of thrash metal; Metallica's collaboration with Lou Reed; Metallica cover songs; punk vs. thrash; taking care of his voice; Overkill's longevity; and Mickey Mouse.
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Speak N' Destroy is part of the PopCurse podcast network.

Journey into the Weird Tale of H.P. Lovecraft in our first ever bonus / mini-episode and learn a bit about the literary giant who inspired "The Call of Ktulu," "The Thing That Should Not Be," "All Nightmare Long," and "Dream No More." A genius, a visionary, a recluse, and a person with very problematic personal views, Howard Phillips Lovecraft continues to influence and fascinate metal musicians, film directors, and authors alike, including Opeth, Dream Theater, High On Fire, Guillermo del Toro, and Stephen King.
Show Notes:
The Enduring Influence of H.P. Lovecraft on Extreme Music
Writers of Color Continue to Wrestle With Lovecraft’s Racist Legacy
The Gates Of Slumber

A YEAR AND A HALF IN THE LIFE OF METALLICA director Adam Dubin on the behind-the-scenes story of the classic home video, including his first meetings with James and Lars, speeding down the 405, the Kip Winger dartboard, and hazing Bob Rock; his new Bay Area thrash documentary MURDER IN THE FRONT ROW; his college roommate, Rick Rubin; co-directing the Beastie Boys videos "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"; working with Danzig; the pivotal role of Kirk Hammett; and more. Find out how to watch his new film at https://mitfr.com/.
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ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE. Frank Bello (ANTHRAX) and David Ellefson (MEGADETH) live from the Musicians Institute, part of the MI Conversation Series presented by Loudwire and Ultimate Classic Rock. In this wide ranging conversation with Ryan J. Downey and the audience Q&A that followed, the two Big 4 bassists talk about their band together, Altitudes & Attitudes, meeting for the first time while on tour in their respective bands, and the early days of thrash. Frankie does the best impression of Gene and Paul from KISS ever, both guys remember Alice In Chains opening for the first US "Clash of the Titans," David talks about the influence of original Metallica bassist Ron McGovney, and both men share thoughtful reflections on the late Cliff Burton. Keep up with the podcast at Speak N' Destroy dot com and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Keep up with Ryan J. Downey at Ryan J Downey dot com and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

CHICKENFOOT. Kirk's guitar teacher! Recorded live as part of the MI Conversation Series at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, presented by Loudwire and Ultimate Classic Rock. This is an in-depth (and at times very emotional discussion) about his life and career. Joe talks about switching from drums to guitar as a kid; jazz music; teaching his neighbor, Steve Vai; recording and releasing his classic records; his songwriting process; and working with a young Mr. Hammett as the Bay Area badass figured out what to do in Metallica.

REFUSED. Refused frontman Dennis Lyxzén performed "Whiplash" with Mikkey Dee (King Diamond, Motörhead, Scorpions) and a cellist at last year's Polar Music Prize ceremony, in front of Lars, Rob, and the King and Queen of Sweden. Dennis tells stories from that night, talks about meeting Metallica when International Noise Conspiracy shared a stage with them, his love for the early Metallica records, and even his respect for Lulu.

LORDS OF CHAOS. Jonas Akerlund talks about directing the Metallica videos "ManUNkind," "Whiskey in the Jar," and "Turn the Page," as well as his new film about the early days of Norwegian black metal. Before he made award-winning music videos with Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, U2, and Paul McCartney, the Swedish born filmmaker was the drummer for Bathory. His first music video was for the song "Bewitched" by his friends in Candlemass.

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME. The prolific and versatile Tommy Giles Rogers on using Metallica riffs to teach himself guitar; the first five Metallica albums; Some Kind of Monster; Death Magnetic; the stylistic evolution of bands like Metallica, Opeth, and his own; James Hetfield's voice; why Between The Buried And Me chose to cover "Blackened"; and much more. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney and visit RyanJDowney.com

THE SALVATION KINGDOM. Cliff Burton's big sister talks about the late Metallica bassist growing weed in the closet; his organ from Sears; his earliest influences; his Misfits tattoo; Trauma; Cliff Burton Day; Jagermeister; Day on the Green; Ozzy; and of course, the early days of Metallica. She is the subject of the documentary The Salvation Kingdom, which examines the spiritual side to Cliff Burton and his musical legacy. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. The Salvation Kingdom can be watched in its entirety here: https://salvationkingdommovie.com/ Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

EXODUS/SLAYER. Gary Holt on Kirk Hammett teaching him his first chords; Kirk leaving Exodus for Metallica; the early days of the Bay Area thrash scene; "Creeping Death" and the old Exodus song "Die By His Hand"; the magic right hand of James Hetfield; the Big 4; Paul Baloff; honoring the Jeff Hanneman in Slayer; the next Exodus album; and more. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

TESTAMENT. Chuck Billy on joining the band that became Testament; the 30th anniversary of The New Order; first hearing, seeing, and meeting Metallica; his love of Metallica's ballads; Metallica at Day on the Green; the Black Album; the Load/Reload era; writing the foreword for the unofficial James Hetfield biography; his late 90s audition for Sepultura; the relationships within Testament; and more. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

APOCALYPTICA. Perttu Kivilaakso reflects on more than 20 years of Apocalyptica Plays Metallica by Four Cellos; the support from Metallica over the years; seeing the S&M taping; playing the 30th anniversary shows; collaborating with members of Slayer, Sepultura, and Slipknot; artistic courage; life as a classically trained metalhead; and more. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

SEPULTURA. Andreas Kisser on his audition to fill in for James Hetfield in 1992 after the Metallica frontman was burned in a pyro accident; Sepultura's first meeting with Metallica in 1989; his Sexoturica side-project with Jason Newsted in the '90s; his thoughts on Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, the Black Album, Load/Reload, and St. Anger; the guys who auditioned for Sepultura after Max Cavalera's departure; working with Newsted on Sepultura's Against album; jamming with the Big 4 all across Europe; and more. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

ex-DREAM THEATER. Dream Theater fans received a massive surprise one night in Barcelona when the band tore through the Master of Puppets album from start to finish. Lars Ulrich would later tell Mike Portnoy it helped inspire Metallica to do the same thing. The legendary rock drummer (who played in Dream Theater for 25 years and has recorded and/or performed with Avenged Sevenfold, Twisted Sister, and his own prog-rock supergroup, Sons of Apollo) talks about discovering Kill 'Em All, seeing Metallica in 1985, getting to know Lars, and so much more. SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

DIAMOND HEAD. Metallica played four Diamond Head covers at their very first show. Since that gig on March 14, 1982, they've played "Am I Evil?" more than 700 times. As Lars Ulrich attested during his band's 30th anniversary celebration, "[Diamond Head] is the reason Metallica exists, it's that simple." Cofounder and lead guitarist Brian Tatler joins Speak N' Destroy to talk about Metallica and their relationship with his band, the NWOBHM group responsible for such songs as "Sucking My Love," "Helpless," "The Prince," "It's Electric" and of course, "Am I Evil?." Music: Diamond Head "Helpless" (1980) SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE. “SO WHAT?” Anti-Nowhere League vocalist Animal tells about the origin of the wonderfully outrageous lyrics to the English punk legends’ best known song; his background as an outlaw biker; the U.K. punk scene of the 1980s; getting thrown off Top of the Pops; how performing with Metallica at Wembley in 1992 resurrected the band; behind-the-scenes of his visit to San Francisco for the Metallica 30th anniversary shows; his forthcoming autobiography; and much more. Music: Anti-Nowhere League, "So What?" SpeakNDestroy.com has details about our guests, plus deep dives into Metallica history, with flyers, photos, YouTube video playlists, and more. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

PANTERA. Rex Brown on the massive influence of Metallica on Pantera; when he and Dimebag Darrell played a half-dozen Metallica songs with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich in a tiny Texas bar; the night Metallica stuck Pantera with the strip club tab for both bands; the historic 1991 Monsters of Rock show in Moscow that united AC/DC, Metallica and Pantera at the twilight of the Soviet Union; fellowshipping with Hetfield and Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains as all three of them journeyed into recovery from alcohol abuse; the ways classic Pantera albums intersected with Ride the Lightning and the Black Album; and more. Music: Rex Brown, "Buried Alive," from Smoke on This. Follow @speakndestroy_ on Twitter and @speakndestroy on Instagram for news and details about our guests and deep dives into Metallica history, with photos, flyers, and facts. Also check out SpeakNDestroy.com Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

THE ATLAS MOTH. Born on Cliff Burton's birthday, the same year Kill 'Em All was released, Stavros first concert was Metallica, at age five. In addition to his role as guitarist/co-vocalist for The Atlas Moth, Stavros was part of American black metal supergroup Twilight alongside members of Leviathan, Nachtmystium, and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. Stavros has an extensive collection of rare Metallica recordings from over the years and is an unapologetic super fan. In this episode, he even makes a playlist of Load/Reload songs, trimming the fat to make one killer standalone album that may convince the most diehard of skeptics. Music: The Atlas Moth, "Galactic Brain," from Coma Noir. Follow @speakndestroy_ on Twitter and @speakndestroy on Instagram for news and details about our guests and deep dives into Metallica history, with photos, flyers, and facts. Also check out SpeakNDestroy.com Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

MEGADETH. Megadeth co-founder and bassist on meeting ex-Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine; No Life 'Til Leather; hearing Kill 'Em All for the first time; meeting James and Lars; "Mechanix" / "The Four Horsemen"; "Go to Hell" / "Enter Sandman,"; behind the scenes of the Big 4 shows; Lars Ulrich's favorite Megadeth song; James Hetfield's evolution as a lyricist; the Black Album; A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica; the late Nick Menza and Gar Samuelson; what makes both Dave Mustaine and Metallica so special; and 35 years of Megadeth. Don't forget to follow @speakndestroy_ on Twitter and @speakndestroy on Instagram for news and details about our guests and deep dives into Metallica history, with photos, flyers, and facts. Also check out SpeakNDestroy.com. Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

TESTAMENT. Alex Skolnick of Testament, Metal Allegiance, The Alex Skolnick Trio, and ex-Trans-Siberian Orchestra on the Bay Area thrash scene; taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani in high school; Metallica at the Keystone Berkeley in 1983; the Black Album; Load/Reload; Lars; Exodus; the Big 4; LuLu; MetalliGaGa; that time Kanye West wore a Testament t-shirt; and so very much more. Don't forget to follow @speakndestroy_ on Twitter and @speakndestroy on Instagram for news and details about our guests and deep dives into Metallica history, with photos, flyers, and facts. Also check out SpeakNDestroy.com Follow @ryandowney on Twitter and visit RyanJDowney.com

BAD WOLVES. Doc Coyle was invited to stand in for Lamb Of God guitarist Mark Morton on three weeks of the World Magnetic Tour with Metallica. As a cofounder of God Forbid, Doc had gone from DIY shows to Ozzfest and Mayhem. Metallica? That's his favorite band of all time and he wasn't going to miss that chance. In this episode, Doc talks about discovering metal; the Metallica catalog; the World Magnetic tour; playing with Robert Trujillo in Mass Mental; how to "fix" St. Anger; his new band, Bad Wolves; and his podcast, The Ex-Man. Be sure to check out SpeakNDestroy.com for more information on all of our past guests and for genuine passion about the greatest band in the world.

HESHER. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, and writer/director Spencer Susser of the movie HESHER, from Ryan J. Downey's interview archives. Cliff Burton was the inspiration for the title character's look, mannerisms, and spirit. The cast and crew made Metallica a central part of the film's story. Thanks to a personalized letter, the band ultimately approved, even lending their iconic logo for the film's poster. Plus: Downey makes a list of the 6 Most Metal Movies Ever.

LOUDWIRE. How do you book Metallica for your television show? Josh Bernstein shares all the behind the scenes details about Metallica's performance at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards, including collaborations that almost were, and more. Josh is the Director of Live Events for Townsquare Media and the co-creator of the Loudwire Music Awards, Revolver Golden Gods Awards, and Alternative Press Music Awards.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY. Was Jason Newsted asked to join Sepultura? What was it like discovering music in Brazil? Iggor Cavalera, legendary metal drummer and cofounder of Sepultura, talks about the new Cavalera Conspiracy album and of course, Metallica.

SIRIUS XM. Jose Mangin is Director of Programming & On-Air Host for Liquid Metal, Octane, and Ozzy’s Boneyard on Sirius XM Radio. He joins Ryan J. Downey to talk about discovering Metallica and heavy metal, his first experiences meeting and interviewing the band, and to share great stories about his personal interactions with Metallica. Jose talks about trading emails with James about the lineup for the Orion Music festivals, meeting Cliff Bernstein on the subway, jamming with Lloyd Grant, and more.

HALESTORM. Halestorm singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale talks discovering Metallica via the Garage Inc. release; seeing Metallica live for the first time; what makes the band great; choosing to play a Gibson Explorer; Halestorm's cover of "Ride the Lightning"; opening for Heaven & Hell at what turned out to be Ronnie James Dio's final performance; working with producer Nick Raskulinecz; the next Halestorm studio album; learning to riff early on; discouraging guitar teachers; friendly neighbors; and more.

HATEBREED. Jamey Jasta on the Black Album; Napster vs. Metallica; the wisdom of Torben Ulrich; what may have caused Metallica to release that Lou Reed album; the impact of illegal downloading on Hatebreed's first major label album, Perseverance; the politics and challenges of putting together a touring package; discovering heavy music as a kid in Connecticut; his first band; his popular podcast; his dream Metallica tour line-up; and why he sells a t-shirt that says, "Lars Was Right."

Ex-ELEKTRA RECORDS. Michael Alago signed Metallica to Elektra Records on September 12, 1984. As a major label A&R executive, he worked with Metallica, White Zombie, Metal Church, Dokken, Nina Simone, Cyndi Lauper, and more. He was a kid with a fanzine about the Dead Boys when he was plucked from obscurity to be a talent booker at legendary New York rock club, The Ritz. Michael talks about his early interactions with James, Lars, Kirk, Cliff, and Jason; “Alcoholica”; signing Flotsam And Jetsam; bringing the reformed Misfits to Geffen; working with John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten; his relationship with Metallica today; and the genesis of the new documentary, "Who the F is that Guy? The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago."

LAMB OF GOD. Mark Morton talks with Ryan J. Downey about performing on three continents as part of the World Magnetic Tour; the production extremes between Garage Days, …And Justice for All, and the Black Album; switching from drums to guitar; struggling and persevering through personal tragedy; trying to make sense of life, death, and the mystery of it all; collaborating with the late Chester Bennington; Van Halen; Circus Of Power; crucial regional scenes in the pre-Internet era; and keeping the good riffs flowing.

MACHINE HEAD. Robb Flynn of Machine Head tells Ryan J. Downey about coming of age in the Bay Area during the dawn of the thrash metal scene; seeing Metallica, Exodus, Raven, D.R.I., and other crucial acts in the ‘80s; the highly influential KUSF radio; the prominent role of Dave Mustaine in the early days of Metallica; the formation of his third wave thrash band, Forbidden Evil; supporting Metallica on the Death Magnetic tour; and his small role in bringing Slayer and Metallica together for the Big 4. Flynn and Downey also discuss Black Sabbath, Jason Newsted, “Mechanix” vs. “The Four Horsemen,” the first five Metallica albums, the Load/Reload era, St. Anger, and yes, that Lou Reed record.

JUDAS PRIEST. Rob Halford, legendary frontman for metal icons Judas Priest (a huge influence on Metallica), sits down with Ryan J. Downey live at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, California for an in-depth and wide-ranging talk about his career, going all the way back to the band’s humble beginnings in Birmingham, England.

OZZY OSBOURNE. Blasko, longtime bass player for Ozzy Osbourne (and former bassist for Rob Zombie), joins Ryan J. Downey for an in-depth conversation about the early days of thrash metal; seminal Los Angeles shows from Kiss and Slayer; signing to a record label as a teenager with his crossover band, Cryptic Slaughter; his career with Rob Zombie and Ozzy; and of course, Metallica. Blasko is also an accomplished artist manager, representing Black Veil Brides, Zakk Wylde, and Andy Black, among other notable musicians.

SO LET IT BE WRITTEN. Mark Eglinton joins Ryan J. Downey to talk about his new book, So Let It Be Written: The Biography of Metallica’s James Hetfield. Eglinton is the coauthor of recent memoirs from Rex Brown (Pantera) and Nergal (Behemoth) and several other works of nonfiction. Plus: Speak N’ Destroy’s first contest!

AVENGED SEVENFOLD. M. Shadows joins Ryan J. Downey on the first ever episode of Speak N’ Destroy, a podcast about all things Metallica. During a lengthy conversation at the singer’s home in Orange County, the pair discuss childhood, the very early days of A7X, meeting Metallica, the current tour, the unconventional rollout of the band’s new album, The Stage, the state of hard rock/metal in the modern pop cultural landscape, and much more.